Karl’s reputation as a highly skilled innovator and top personal trainer at Gold’s Gym in Venice, Californiahas made him one of the most sought after fitness experts in the industry. With more than twenty years experience as a personal trainer and a celebrated career as natural body builder, Karl has beenfeatured in several publications including Mens Health, Live Fit, Muscle & Fitness and Ironman, to name afew. Karl's degree is in Physical Education and Lifetime Health & Fitness and along with his other qualifications he is a IDEA-Master Level Trainer. However, I had no inkling of any of Karl's qualifications before I met him. I was referred to Karl by another trainer at Golds, Danny Henry. Danny is the strength trainer for the Santa Monica Rugby Club men's team and after one of our sessions I asked Danny if he could refer me to a good deep tissue masseur. At the time I was still battling the pain associated with the neck and back injuries I had been suffering with since early in my rugby career. To help with the pain I booked regular massage treatments and was having a hard time finding anyone good. Dannyquickly gave me three options ranging from good at $80 per hour, to very good at $100 per hourand finally the best at $150 per hour, my initial reaction was something like, holy shit $150 an hour!! Does it come with a happy ending?? At the time I was paying around $60 per massage and the jumpto $150 seemed like a bridge too far, but at the same time it felt like I was throwing $60 away everytime I got a shit massage, so I decided to give Karl a call.After calling and leaving a message, I received a call from Karl's wife Jodi a couple of days later to line up an appointment. Before the call finished I asked, "so what's the address?" Jodi told me that Karl works from Golds and to just meet him in front of the squatting racks. Confused, I asked if he had a massage bed at Golds. Jodi told me that I would understand once I got there. After hanging up the phone I remember sitting there thinking what the F$#K, this better be some F$#king massage!!The day of my appointment I turned up to the gym early and saw Karl finishing up with his previousclient and sure enough, there was not going to be any fold out bed for me to get comfortable on or any privacy from the rest of the people working out in the gym, it was all going to happen in front of the squat rack. What have a got myself in to?!?A couple of minutes go by, Karl finishes up with his pervious client and we meet for the first time,Karl has a slight build, lean, athletic and about 5 foot 5. The introductions are barely over when Karl says to me that I look like a "bent nail." Still reeling from the fact that I was paying $150 to get a "massage" in the middle of a crowded gym, I was shocked to hear Karl describe my body exactly the way it felt, like a bent nail. Karl was able to diagnose me without knowing anything about my history and without touching me at all. No one else has ever described my body in that way, though I knew immediately that Karl knew what he was talking about and would probably know what to do to help me overcome my injuries. My interest picked up and I wanted to know more. From the start, it was clear to me that there was much more to Karl List than meets the eye.